2002

Whites

A very good white Burgundy year, close to 1999 quality levels on the Côte de Beaune and trumping that vintage in the Mâconnais and Chalonnais. For Chablis, 2002s may equal or surpass the fine 2000s in structure but show less mineral intensity. Burgundy’s very cold winter and bone dry spring underwrote the year’s exceptional crop health. An exceptionally hot June, posting 36 degrees C temperatures and 55 hours more sunshine than normal, ensured rapid flowering. After this solid start, however, the weather faltered. July and August were generally cool and unsettled, the latter month down the a critical 25% on sunshine. September started poorly with the worst of the rain in southern Burgundy, penalising early picked Mâconnais whites. Then came the miracle. A week-long burst of warm, dry weather from 11th-18th September, marked by north-east winds and brilliant, blue skies, neutralised the botrytis threat and hiked sugar levels without compromising acidity in the pleasant but never scorchingly hot conditions. Heavy rain fell overnight on 19th September, then dry, cooler weather persisted into October. The late turnaround in the weather severely contracted normal timing differences in ripeness between regions, most Chardonnay being picked in a narrow window between 18th and 25th September. With fair yields and natural ripeness of 12.5% potential alcohol or over matched to firm acidity, (typically, 6.5 g/l acidity, 3.05 PH,) 2002 offered winemakers exciting raw materials with which to make ageworthy wines.

Good 2002 white Burgundy, whatever its provenance, is characterised by sharp aromatics, weight of flavour, firm acidity and clear terroir transcription. The rich flavours will inevitably encourage early drinking but the wines’ long-term structure and flavour resources will reward those who can resist their upfront charms. The bigger premier and grand cru wines will be nowhere near their best before 2007. It may often make sense to drink the much softer, low-acid 2003s beforehand.

Reds

The real story in 2002 focused not on individual exploits but rather on the extraordinary consistency of performance throughout appellations and regions. Great red wines were made at all points from Irancy down to Givry. Only the Beaujolais missed out, picking too early to get any benefit from the mid-September weather turnaround. A regular, cold winter and mild spring, an exceptionally hot June, posting 36 degree C temperatures and 55 hours more sunshine than normal, ensured rapid flowerng. After this solid start the weather faltered, with an unsettled and cool July and August, the latter in particular down a critical 25% on sunshine. An initial wet, poor start in September was followed by a week-long burst of warm, dry weather marked by drying north-east winds and brilliant blue skies. Sugar levels rocketed, acidity remained good and crop health sound. Good sugar ripeness everywhere was a given in 2002, often in the 12.5% to 13% potential alcohol range. Total acidity at harvest reached 6.5g/l, with plenty of malic acid. Finished wines post fermentation typically recorded 4.5g/l and 3.2pH - good-looking figures in any vintage (and pure fantasy in the meltingly hot 2003 conditions). Cellarwork provided few challenges: élevage of these healthy wines was trouble-free and many growers elected to bottle with minimal fining or filtration. 2002 flavours are rich and the wines have irresistible upfront charm, but many of the bigger reds firmed up noticeably in barrel, adding complexity and a more linear, mineral finish once they shed their puppyfat. Most lower and middle-ranking 2002 reds will come through quite quickly, but the structure and deep flavour resources of the bigger premiers crus and grand crus will impose extended cellaring.